Close aide of Asif Zardari wanted to leave the country for medical treatment in the United Kingdom. PHOTO: ONLINE
A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar, sought such comments by May 9. Dr Asim, a close aide of the former president Asif Ali Zardari, had approached the court seeking removal of his name from the ECL and the return of his Pakistani and Canadian passports to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Dr Asim Hussain released from prison following SHC order
In the application, he said he had been granted bail in February this year in a case relating to the treatment and sheltering of terrorists at his private hospitals in Karachi. However, he was directed to deposit Rs2.5 million surety and his original Pakistani and Canadian passports. The court had also directed the interior ministry to place his name on the ECL.
The applicant said that bail was granted to him on medical grounds, whereby he was required to undergo a disc replacement surgery in addition to suffering from cardiac issues. The lawyer said that in both the medical issues, especially the spinal problem, Dr Asim is required to have a disc replacement surgery, which cannot be done in Pakistan and, therefore, he has to be treated abroad. Even the cardiac issue was liable to be treated abroad, the lawyer added.
The court was informed that Dr Asim had contacted the doctor who will examine him and proceed with the surgery in England while he had to travel to Italy for examination by doctors for the cardiac issue. However, he argued that it is impossible for the petitioner to leave the country since his passports had been deposited with the SHC's nazir and directions had been issued for placement of his name on the ECL. Therefore, the court was pleaded to direct its nazir to return the two passports and also direct the removal of Dr Asim's name from the ECL.
ATC allows Dr Asim to go abroad for two weeks
During Wednesday's proceedings, Advocate Latif Khosa informed the judges that the petitioner's name was put on the ECL on the recommendation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) at the time when the bureau had not even filed a reference against him. NAB's special prosecutor had already opposed the application for removing Dr Asim's name from the ECL, saying that he wants to escape criminal trial.
Khosa also produced copies of the return ticket reservation of Dr Asim and details of admission to a hospital in London. Dr Asim plans to leave for London on May 7 and return by May 22, the lawyer said and expressed the apprehension that any delay in provision of treatment to the petitioner could render him paralysed.
The federal law officer requested for time to file comments on behalf of the relevant federal authorities. Allowing the request, the bench directed the law officer to submit such comments by May 9, when the matter will be taken up again.
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